Tourism and Water: Protecting our Common Future
Tourism today is a trillion dollar sector involving the movement of over one billion tourists a year around the world and another five to six billion domestically.
In line with the 2013 United Nations International Year of Water Cooperation, the 2013 theme for World Tourism Day is Tourism and Water: Protecting our Common Future. As the most widely celebrated global day for tourism, it represents a unique opportunity to raise awareness of tourism’s role in water access and shine a spotlight on the sector’s contribution to a more sustainable water future.
Tourism has proven to provide environmentally sound solutions, as well as political and financial support, for the conservation and sustainable use of water sources. But more must be done. With a record one billion international tourists travelling in a single year in 2012, now is the time to commit to a more sustainable tourism sector in order to protect our common future.
This year's official celebrations will take place in the Maldives and include a Think Tank on the 2013 theme with the participation of top experts and policy makers in the field of tourism and water.
To keep up-to-date with this year’s WTD activities, and to learn more about the theme Tourism & Water, bookmark the WTD website and follow UNWTO on Facebook and Twitter (hashtag #WTD2013).
